Barrow is the place to be this spring and summer with a wide-ranging programme of creative, cultural and family events organised over the coming months.
From live music in beautiful Barrow Park to getting up close and personal with dinosaurs in the town centre or witnessing the spectacle of thousands of motorbikes roaring through the streets with the return of Dave Day, there is so much going on.
Brilliant Barrow is supporting the promotion of the spring and summer programme and has funded a leaflet advertising all the events and activities.
Barrow Town Hall hosts a Shakespeare for younger audiences RSC production of The Tempest on Saturday 3 May, hosted by BarrowFull and supported by Barrow Town council. Barrowfull is also supporting a Theatre by the Lake production of the compelling drama Steel by Lee Mattinson on 28 May.
Click here to buy tickets for Steel.
The town hall's extraordinary Banqueting Hall is also hosting The Forum on Tour productions, including traditional seafaring shanties and maritime music from The Old Time Sailors on 9 May, Aled Jones on 23 May, Lady Nade singing Nina Simone on 6 June and Kerry Ellis, Queen of the West End, singing songs from an illustrious career ranging from Les Miserables to We Will Rock You on Saturday 11 October.
Click here to find out more about The Forum on Tour and buy tickets.
Events in the town include Dino Day on Saturday May 17, Furness Pride on May 24, pop-up crazy golf in the town centre thanks to Barrow BID in Saturday June 14, Dave Day on June 21 and 22 and the Festival of Transport on Saturday July 19, as well as the Brilliant Barrow weekend on August 16 and 17, featuring the soapbox derby and Push the Boat Out heritage event in the town hall on the Saturday and Dockside Festival on the Sunday.
Autumn Fest takes place on Saturday 25 October, organised by Barrow BID and giving everybody a chance to celebrate autumn with a pop-up pumpkin patch, creative workshops, mobile caving experience and lots of family entertainment.
Click here to find out more about the Festival of Transport.
Click here to find out more about Barrow BID.
Barrow Library will be the venue for a wide range of events, including hotly-tipped Luvcat playing an intimate Get it Loud in Libraries show on Sunday 22 June, perfect for fans of Nick Cave, The Cure and Leonard Cohen. There will also be a launch event for the Summer Reading Challenge on July 5, a fun evening with Jonathan Whitelaw – author of the Bingo Club Murders books – on Friday July 11.
Click here for more information about Luvcat and buy tickets.
Click here to find out more about the Summer Reading Challenge.
Barrow Market hosts choirs from Sacred Heart School from 10.30-11am on Friday 16 May, St Columba School on Wednesday 21 May and Ormsgill School on Friday 23 May, as well as special pop-up monthly markets on 2 May, June 6, 4 July, 1 August, 5 September, 3 October and 7 November.
Click here to find out more about Barrow Market.
And at the Dock Museum, there will be free, fun drop-in workshops – on Saturday 24 May children can make a marbled image or flag with ink and water, and on Thursday 29 May they can use maths in a new and fun way to solve a series of problems. And from 20 June to 5 October the museum will host an exhibition entitles "Dave, a Barrow lad" about Dave Myers and his life in Barrow and beyond.
Click here to find our more about the Dock Museum.
In Barrow Park, there will be Furness Wildlife Watch events from 9.30am to 11am on 20 July, 28 September and 30 November featuring nature activities for children such as crafts, nature trails and wildlife spotting.
Click here to find out more about Furness WIldlife Watch.
On Sunday 17 August there will be a Voices in the Community event at the bandstand with choirs and singers, while local country group Sugarfoot will play from 12pm on 24 August.
Barrow BID have also organised Pooch Fest in the town centre from 11am to 3pm on Saturday 13 September.
And Barrowfull have organised free Playcations featuring games, music, theatre, craft and lots of fun in Barrow Island Community Centre on Wednesday 6 August, Vickerstown Park on 7 August, Ormsgill Community Centre on 9 and 10 August and Barrow Park on 12 and 13 August – all from 10.30 to 4pm.
Click here to find out more about Barrowfull.
Councillor Jonathan Brook, the Leader of Westmorland and Furness Council and Deputy Chair of the Brilliant Barrow Town Deal Board, said: "The Place Development project has already helped deliver some great events in Barrow. We are delighted to support many other organisations and groups, who are working tirelessly to ensure the people of Barrow and Furness and visitors alike, benefit from a wide and varied programme of events and activities.
"Working together, we are achieving great things, showcasing what a special place this is and playing a crucial part in making sure Barrow thrives."
The Brilliant Barrow initiative is a series of innovative projects funded by £25 million from the Government's Towns Fund designed to help the town and its communities to thrive into the future.
Brilliant Barrow’s Place Development project aims to help promote the area as an inspirational place to live, work and visit – helping attract residents and visitors to the town centre, increasing footfall and boosting the local economy.